GERARD GILBERT • VENTURE TECHNOLOGIES
Gerard Gibert founded Venture Technologies, a Technology Solutions Provider headquartered in Ridgeland, MS, in 1986. He served as the company’s CEO from launch until its sale to ConvergeOne, based in Minneapolis, MN, in January 2019. In 2018, the Mississippi Business Journal listed Venture as the 33rd largest private business in Mississippi.
Venture operated three major solutions practices: Premise Infrastructure Solutions, Cloud, and Managed Services and Business Transformation Consulting Services. The company owned and operated three Tier-3 Data Centers, the largest of which has been located in the Jackson State University eCenter since 2001. Prior to its acquisition, Venture acquired four companies between 2014 and 2018, increasing annual revenues to $220 million with a staff of 293 across 11 states.
Mr. Gibert earned a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Mississippi. He worked as a senior consultant in the Management Information Consulting Division of Arthur Andersen & Co., the division that eventually became global management and digital consulting firm, Accenture.
Gerard is the Chairman of the Board of Empower Mississippi. In October 2018, Governor Phil Bryant appointed Gerard to the inaugural Board of Directors of the Mississippi Lottery Corporation. Additionally, The Madison County Board of Supervisors appointed Gerard as the At-large board member of the Madison County Economic Development Authority in August 2018.
Gerard serves on the Executive Leadership Team of the American Heart Association’s Annual Heart Walk. He will chair the 2019 Heart Walk. He also serves as the Chairman of the Steering Committee advising the Board of Directors of Innovate Mississippi and the Central Mississippi Angel Fund.
Gerard is a regular guest on local talk radio and Public Television discussing business and public policy issues. He is a frequent business commentator and speaker in academic, political, business and media circles.
Gerard is married to his wife of 37 years, the former Julie Gill of Biloxi, MS. They have two children: Alex, a teacher at Old Towne Middle School in Ridgeland, and Nick, a baseball instructor and youth coach at P360 in Ridgeland.
An instrument-rated private pilot, Gerard enjoys golf, coaching youth sports, flying, writing, broadcasting and gardening. He and his family attend St. Francis of Assisi Church in Madison, MS.
Some of the awards and distinctions earned by Venture and Gerard include:
- 2018 Ridgeland Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year.
- 2015, 2016, 2018 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist.
- 2017 ConnectWise IT Nation Innovator of the Year.
- 2017 Cisco Services Partner of the Year – U.S. West Region.
- 2017 Mississippi Business Journal Top In Tech.
- 2016 Mississippi Business Journal Top CEO.
- Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP) Mississippian of the Year 1996 and 2013 (only 2-time winner).
- 2006-2016 Best Places to Work in Mississippi - Mississippi Business Journal.
- Mississippi Business Journal Tech 21 Most Wanted (2015, 2016, 2017).
- CRN Triple Crown Winner 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018.
- Number 270 on CRN’s Solution Provider 500 (SP500).